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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Sally Weale and Simon Hattenstone

‘National catastrophe’: drama school funding crisis in England sparks concern

Local performers take part in the Whirligig Festival of Outdoor Arts in Weston-super-Mare.
Young people perform at the Whirligig festival of outdoor arts in Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. Photograph: Gary Learmonth/Alamy

World-leading drama schools in England are facing a financial crisis that threatens to turn back the clock, shutting down opportunities for talented young people from diverse and less privileged backgrounds, according to leading figures in the arts.

The warning came after one of the most celebrated drama schools in the country, Bristol Old Vic theatre school (BOVTS), which opened in 1946 with the support of Laurence Olivier, revealed it is closing all undergraduate courses from September. Postgraduate courses will continue.

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